Sheet bundle handling apparatus



June 14, 1960 D. v. PRENTICE ETAL 2,940,613

SHEET BUNDLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS David VI Pren i'lc'e y Edwin M. He'I'h United States Patent SHEET BUNDLE HANDLING APPARATUS David V. Prentice and Edwin M. Heth, Portland, Greg, assignors to Prentice Machine Works, Inc, Portland, reg., a corporation of Oregon Filed Nov. 4, 1957, Ser. No. 694,242

11 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to sheet bundle handling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for aligning the edges of a bundle of sheets along one side of the bundle preparatory to further treatment of the sheets.

In the manufacture of a composite board, such as plywood or other laminated board, each layer of veneer in the board is usually made up of a plurality of sheets of veneer which have been joined to one another in longitudinal edge abutting relationship. In order to prepare these veneer sheets for being joined to one another, a stack of sheets is usually passed through a veneer jointer where the edges to be joined are out along a straight line. This invention has to do with preparing a bundle or stack of sheets for delivery to a jointer and comprises jogger or shaker apparatus and material handling apparatus whereby a stack of veneer sheets may be shaken to' align the edges of the sheets along one side of the stack prior to sending the sheets to a jointer for cutting.

A requirement of such apparatus is that the bundle or stack be held relatively loosely during the shaking operation. This enables the various sheets of a stack to move relative to each other during alignment. The sheets are usually held in a vertical position during shaking, gravity functioning to pull the sheets into alignment. After alignment, a bundle is turned over on its side, and the bundle is transported to the usual veneer jointer. In moving from a vertical to generally horizontal position, it is extremely important that no forces be exerted on the sheets which would tend to misalign them, and that the sheets be firmly clamped so as to prevent them from shingling out, or other disarrangement thereof.

Generally this invention features the provision of a number of pairs of opposed confining arms arranged to retain the sheets of a bundle during shaking, the pairs of arms being spaced at intervals transversely of the direc-' tion of travel of bundles through the apparatus. The arms of each pair are pivotally mounted relative to the frame of the apparatus. the free ends of each arm above the support plane or treating bed provided by the frame. In their raised position, a confined treating zone or channel is defined by the arms which extends transversely across the support plane of the apparatus and is adapted to hold loosely a bundle" A pair of snub-j of sheets during shaking of the sheets. her arms are also provided, operable, after the sheets have been shaken, to sweep across the confined treating zone defined by the confining arms and to clamp against a bundle contained therein. The snubber arms maintain the time that the Mechanism is provided for pivoting.

Patented June 14, 1960;

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number of pivotal positioning arms, pivoted relative'to the frame below the support plane provided by the frame. The snubber arms are pivoted to the nonpivoted ends of the positioning arms. Mechanism interposed between a. confining arm and a positioning arm is operable to pivot the positioning arm to a fixed angular position, ordinarily a perpendicular position, relative to the confining arm. Additional mechanism carried by a positioning arm is operable to move a snubber arm pivoted thereon against a bundle thereby to clamp against the same. The snub ber, positioning, and clamping arms are movable as a unit when turning over a bundle, and skewing forces which would tend to shingle or misalign a bundle are eliminated.

Each snubber arm is pivotally mounted on an end of a positioning arm preferably a distance ranging from about one-half to about the full distance of the spacing between opposed confining arms when the confining arms occupy an upright position. In this manner, the arc made by the end of the snubber arm in moving into clamping engagement approximates a horizontal sweep. Further, rolls are carried by the snubber arms for producing the clamping contact of the snubber arms. The rolls, in combination with the direction of the sweep of the arms, insure that a bundle is not subjected during compression to skewing forces which would tend to displace the sheets once they have been jogged into an aligned condition.

Other features, novel objects and advantages are at tained by the present invention, which will become more fully apparent from reading the following description, the invention being described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a jogger apparatus constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2, illustrating one position of the various arm members inthe apparatus; and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Fig. 3, save that the arm members in the apparatus are shown in the different positions which they occupy during operation of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings for a more complete description of an embodiment of this invention, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus illustrated comprises generally inner and outer frame portions 10' and 11 respectively. Frame portions 10 and 11 con-} stitute the frame structure for the apparatus. Frame portion 10 is comprised of horizontal members 12, 13, and 14 suitably rigidized as by upright members, such as upright member 18 disposed on either side of innerframe portion 10. Each of the outer frame portions 11 is comprised of an upright such as upright 19 aifixed in an appropriate manner to the floor.

Moving along the top of the frame structure on supports. 16 are a series of continuous belts or transport means indicated at 21, 22, 23, and 24. These belts may be driven in any appropriate manner, as by motor and pulley, and are operable to transport bundles of veneer deposited thereon from right to left as viewed in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The upper surfaces of the belts define a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets deposited thereon.

With reference again to Figs. 1 and 2, extending across the upper ends of upright members 18, on each side of inner frame portion 10, is a stub plate 26. Stub plates 26 mount in parallel alignment a pair of horizontal shafts 27'and. 28 extending across the frame transversely of the direction of travel of a stack of veneer deposited on belts 2124. Shafts 27 and 28 are rotatedly mounted, as by brackets 29 secured to the upper surfaces of stub plates 26.

Aifixed to each of the shafts 27 and 28 for rotation therewith are a series of pairs of confining arm members, indicated at 31, 32, 33, and 34. Each pair of confining arms includes one confining arm spaced forwardly in the frame, (the lower set'of arms in Fig. 1-) and another confining arm spaced rearwardly in the frame (the upper set of arms in Fig. 1). The arms each have an elongated portion 38 (see Fig. 3) extending outwardly or the shaft mounting the arm, and adapted when raised, asshown in Fig. 5, to oifer anelongated' rest surface for a. stack of veneer sheets held thereinbetween. The confihing arms on one side ofthe apparatus, i.e;, arms 34 in the embodiment illustrated, also include a stub portion 39, to which is pivotally connected links 41. The foremost confining arms are aligned with each other on; shaft 27, and the rearmost confining arms are aligned .with each. other on shaft 28. Shafts 27, 28, which conor raisedpositions illustrated in. Fig. 5, by means of a fluidmotor 42. Fluid motor 42 may be a conventional piston cylinder device, having inlet. and exhaust connections 43 (see Fig. 2) connected to a pressure fluid source (not I shown); base to uptight member 18, and the rod 46 for the motor is guided; in' itslvertical reciprocation by means of runner element 47 secured in anappropriate manner to. the nod asby elbow 49 which is afiixed to rod 46 through a cross=member 51' and nuts 52. Runner element 47 reciprocates in a guide element 53, guide element 53 havinga pair of shoulders 54 and 56: (seeEig. which extend outwardly and encompass lateral sides. of the runner. element. The, guide element is. secured to upright member 18 inanysuitable manner. V

The lower ends of. links 41 are pivotally connected to the outer ends ofv cross. member 51. Sinceall the confiningi arms, are. afiixed to either shaft 27 or shaft 28,

when fluid motor 42 is expanded to cause upward move-' ment of the rod inthe motor, rotation of shafts 27 and 28; in; opposed directions occurs, and all the confining arms. move: fromv their lay-down or lowered position of Pig. 3 to their raised position of Fig. 5. 7

Afilxed to the inner'side of' upright member 18, on either side of inner frame portion 10, are apair of vertically. spaced guideelements, such as guide elements 61, 62, shown in Fig. 2. Each resembles in configuration guide element 53. Reciprocating in these guide elements are runner elements 63 and 64, which are aflixed to and guide the travel of a joggle' platform structure-indicatedgenerally at 6'6.

' Specifically, joggle platform 66 includes cross members 67 and 68, aflixed to spaced uprights, such as up right" 69. Secured to each upright 69 area number of platform elements 71'. These platform elements, in the lowered position which is shown in Fig. 2, are spaced verticailyslightly above shafts. 27 and 28. The upper surfaces of the platform elements, liein a commonihorizontal plane, and in their lowered positions are spaced at or slightly below the level of the support plane defined by belts 21-24; The platform elements are moved up.

and down by vertical reciprocation. of joggle platform structure 66, and function to: shake a bundle of veneer sheets deposited, thereon whereby the lower-edgesof the slieet'sin the bundle move into alignment.

Fluid motor 42 isv suitably secured at its.

i The joggle platform structure may be reciprocated in chine by admitting pressure fluid recurrently first to the lower and then to the upper of the connections 77 for each motor. The motors expand and contract in unison, both ends of the platform structure moving'in the same direction at any given time.

Referring again to Figs. 1. and 2 rotatably mounted on shaft 28 next to each of the confining. arms carried by the shaft in a positioning arm member. These positioning arm members. are indicated-at, 81', 82, .83, and 8.4.. As. can best be seen in Figs. 3-6,. the positioning, arms pivot about shaft 28, from. a lowered position wherein the arms lie beneath the support plane of the belts, to the raised vertical position shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The positioning arm members rotate about shaft 28, so that pivotal movement of the positioning arms occurs about the pivot axis for the confining arms. The outermost positioning arms 81 and 84 are provided with an exten sion, indicated for arm 84 at 86. I

Interposed between an ear portion 87 of each of the positioning arms, and the confining arm mountedv adjacent the positioning arm, is a fluid motor 91. The motor is pivotally connected to the confining, arm and positioning arm. Expansion of fluid. motor 91 causes. the positioning arm to swing from an. aligned position relative to the confining arm associated therewith,.as shown in Fig. 3,, to a position perpendicular or normalto. theconfining arm, as shown in Figs. 4,.5,.and 6 The strokev of each fluid motor determines the perpendicular position of'the confining arm. p V

' Pivotally connected to the extension 86 0f eachof theoutermost positioning arms,:at a point spaced from shaft 28 a distance. equal to slightly more: than one-half the. distance between opposed confining arms when they occupy a vertical position (see Fig.5), is a snubber arm 96. Each. snubber arm is slightly crooked in shape, and

has pivotally connected to the elbow" portion of the arm. another fluid motor. 97. The other end of fluid motor 97 is. pivotally connected to extension 86 of the. positioning arm. which mountsethe snubber arm, Extension of.

' each snubber arm and a bundlev of sheets is a rollingone,

instead. of a sliding'typecontact which would tend to skew or shingle. the sheets in a stack. The snubber arm, positioning arm mounting thesnubber arm, and the confining arm adjacent this positioning arm, together; withv the expansible motors moving the various arms,,move as a unit with pivotal movement of the confining arm. a

The operation of. the hereinabove described apparatus is as follows: r

A stack of veneer sheets, such as stack 101 in Fig. 4, is deposited on belts 21 to-24, the belts moving the stack from right to left in Fig. 4. Fluid motors 91 are: then actuated to extend the motors, causing the positioning. arms to move to a perpendicular position relative to the. confining arms. actuation ofmotors 91 functions to move thepositioning 'arms to a vertical position. Travel of the stack. to the left in Fig. 4 is limited by movement of the stack.

moved into position for a shake.

If the confining, arms are horizontal,

Prior to shaking a stack of sheets, fluid motor 42 is actuated, which operates through links 41 to move opposed confining arms of each pair of confining arms to a vertical position, illustrated in Fig. 5. The confining arm members in this position define a treating zone or channel extending transversely across the machine. The width of a stack of sheets is selected so that the sheets will not be tightly compressed by movement of the confining arms upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5. The snubber arms are moved to a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, when motor 42 is actuated.

Motors 76 of the shaker platform structure are then actuated, causing the platform structure to move up and down. This results in the edges of the sheets in the stack aligning themselves within the confines of the confining arms.

After alignment of the sheet edges, extension of fluid motors 97 causes snubber arms 96 to sweep across the treating channel or zone defined by the confining arms, from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The locations of the pivot connections for the snubber arms enable the clamping portions of the snubber arms to move while clamping onto a stack in substantially horizontal sweeps. The sheets are contacted by rollers 98 and/or 99, de-

pending upon the height of the sheets and the width ing the stack of sheets tightly compressed. By maintain-v ing the clamping pressure, shingling or falling out'of the sheets as the stack is turned on its side iseffectively prevented.

When the stack of sheets has been turned to the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 6, the positioning arms are returned to the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 3 by contraction of fluid motors 91. Further, the snubber arms are moved to a horizontal position by contraction of fluid motors 97.

It will be noted that the confining arms are driven by a. single motor, the confining arms being afiixed to shafts 27, 28. Movement of all of the confining arms thus occurs simultaneously. This prevents the possibility of one of the confining arms moving at a slightly faster rate than another of the confining arms when the bundle is laid down, which could result in twisting of the stack and misaligning of edges.

While there has been described only a single embodiment of this invention, it should be obvious that variations in the organization and parts employed are possible without departing from the spirit of this invention,-

and it is intended to cover all variations and modifications which would be apparent to one skilled in the art and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In sheet bundle handling apparatus, said apparatus comprising a frame, support means defining a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets thereon, a confining arm member pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said support plane and having a nonpivoted end movable above the plane of the table, means for raising the nonpivoted end of said confining arm member above said support plane, and means spaced from and cooperating with said confining arm member to define with said confining arm member when raised a confined treating zone for treating a bundle of sheets, the improvement comprising a positioning arm member pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said table and having a nonpivoted end movable above the plane of the table, means for swinging said positioning arm member to a fixed angular position relative to said cdti' fining arm member and maintaining the same in said position during pivotal movement of the confining arm member, a snubber arm member pivotally mounted to the nonpivoted end of said positioning arm member, and means interposed between the positioning arm memher and snubber arm member and movable with the positioning arm member for. pivoting said snubber arm member toward said confining arm member whereby tamping' pressure may be produced between said confining arm member and said snubbing arm member.

2. Sheet bundle handling apparatus comprising a frame and support means defining a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets thereon, a pair of opposed confining arm members pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said support plane, means for raising the free ends of said confining arm members above said support plane, said confining arm members when raised defining a confined treating zone for treating a bundle of sheets, a positioning arm member pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said table, a snubber arm member pivotally mounted to a nonpivoted end of said positioning arm member, means interposed between one of said confining arm members and said positioning arm member and movable with said one confining arm member for pivoting said positioning arm member to a fixed angular position relative tosaid one confining arm member, and means interposed between said positioning arm member and said snubber arm member and movable with said positioning arm member for pivoting said snubber arm member toward said one confining arm member, said snubber arm member and said one confining arm member operating to clamp onto treated" bundles when said one confining arm member is lowered toward said support plane.

3. Sheet bundle handling apparatus comprising a frame'and support means defining a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets thereon, a confining arm member pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said support plane, means for raising a free end of said confining arm member above said support plane, means spaced from and cooperating with said confining arm' member to define with said confining arm member when raised a confined treating zone for treating a bundle of sheets, a positioning arm member pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said table, a snubber arm member pivotally mounted to a nonpivoted end of said positioning arm member, means interposed between said confining arm member and said positioning arm member and movable with said confining arm member for pivoting said positioning arm member to a fixed angular position relative to said confining arm member, and means interposed between said positioning arm member and t j said snubber arm member and movable with said positioning arm member for pivoting said snubber arm member toward said confining arm member, said snubber arm member and said confining arm member operating to clamp onto treated bundles when said confining arm member is lowered toward said support plane.

4. Jogger apparatus for aligning the edges of a bundle of sheets comprising a frame and support means defining a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets thereon, a confining arm member mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about a pivot axis spaced below said support plane, means for raising a free end of said confining arm member above said support plane, means spaced from and cooperating with said confining arm member to define with said confining arm member when raised a confined treating zone for treat- -ing a bundle of sheets, jogger platform means having axis for said' confining arm member, said positioning her for pivoting said positioning arm member to a fixed angular position relative to said' confining'arm. member, and means interposed between said positioning arm member and said snubber arm member and movable with said positioning arm member for pivoting said snubher arm member toward said-confining arm member, said snubber arm member and said. confining arm member operating to clamp onto treated bundles when said confining arm member is lowered toward said. support plane. i

.5. Jogger. apparatus for aligning the edges of a bun. die of sheets comprising a frame and support means: defining a support. plane. for .the treatment of a bundleof sheets thereon, a pair of confining arm'memberspivotally mounted on said'frame, each of said. confining arm members pivoting about a. pivot spaced below said support plane, means for raising free ends of said confining arm members above said support plane, said con-. fining arm memberslwhen raised defininga confined treating zone for. treating. abundle. of sheets, jogger platform means having a. platform surface mounted in said frame at the base of said treating zone, 'a positioning arm member mountedon .said frame for pivotal movement about the pivot for-,one of said .confining'arms, said positioning arm member in a loweredposition being spaced belowthe platform surface. of said jogger platform means, a snubberiarm memberpivotally mounted to a nonpivoted end of said positioning; arm" memberwith the free end thereof adapted to: sweep? through said treating zone above said jogger platform r'neans, means. interposed between said one confining arm member and said positioning arm member and movable with said one confining arm member for pivoting.

said positioning arm memberto a fixed-angular'position relative to said one confining arm member, and means interposed between said positioning arm memher and said snubber arm member and movable with said positioning arm member for pivoting said. snubber arm member toward said one confining arm member, said snubber arm; member and said one confining. 'arm member operating to clamp onto treated bundles when said one confining armimember is lowered toward said support plane. 7

6'. Jogger apparatus 'for aligning the edges of a bundle of. sheets comprising a frame, transport means carried by said frame for transporting bundles of sheets in. a path along said frame, said frame and. transport. means defining a support plane for the treatment ofa bundle of sheets, plural pairs of: confining. arm members spaced on said frame transversely of the. movement of sheets on said frame, said confining arm members pivotingonsaid frame, means for raising. the free. ends of said confining arm. members above said. support. plane, said confining arm members when raised defining a con- 7 fined transverse treating channel for the. treatmentwof bundles of. sheets, at least two of said pairs. of. confining. arm members having a positioning arm. member asso- 'ciated therewith, one for each pair of confining. arm

members, each of said. positioning arm members being her arm members and the positioning, arm member mounting the snubber arm member, said snubber arm. members clamping onto treated bundles and moving with the. bundles when said confining arm members are low ered' toward said support plane.

7. Jogger apparatus for aligning the edges of a bundle of sheets comprising a frame, transport means. carried" by said. frame for transporting bundles of sheets in a path along said frame, said frame and transport means defining a support plane for the treatment of a bundle of sheets, pluralpairs of confining arm members spaced on said frame transversely of the movement of sheets on said frame, said confining arm members pivoting on said frame abouta pivot axis spaced belowsaid support plane, means for raising the free ends of said confining arm members above said support plane, said confining arm members when raised defining a confined transverse treating channel for the treatment of bundles of sheets, jogger platform means having a platform surface mounted in said frame at the base of said treating channel, at least two of said pairs of confining arm members having a positioning arm member associated therewith, one for each pair of confining arm members, each'of said positioning arm members being'm'ounted' for pivotal move ment about the pivot axis of its associated confining arm member, each positioning arm member in a lowered position being spaced below the support surface of said jogger platform means a snubber arm member pivotally mounted to the nonpivoted end of each of said positioning arm members, the free ends of said snubber arm members being adapted to sweep through said treatingchannel above said jogger platform means, means interposed between each positioning arm member and the i mounted'for pivotal movement related to its associated V confining arm member associatedtherewith for' pivoting the positioning-arm membertoa fixed angular position relative to :its confining arm member, and meansinterl posed between. each-positioning. arm .member and the snubber'arm member mounted thereon for pivoting. the

free end of the snubber armmember toward a confining arm. member, said snnbber. arm members operating to clamp onto treated bundles.

8. Jogger apparatus for aligning the edges of a bundle of veneer'sheets comprising a frame, a pair of parallel shafts rotatably mounted in said frame and extending across said frame, at least two pairsof opposed confining arm members secured to said shafts, one confining arm member of each pair being: secured to one of said shafts and the other confining arm member ofeach pair being secured to the other of said shafts, a'positioning. arm member associated with each of the confining arm nembers secured to said one shaft rotatably mounted on said one shaft, a snubber arm member pivotedon a; free end of each of said positioning arm members, means for rotating said shafts simultaneously in opposed directions, means interposed. betweeneach ofthe confining arm members which isassociated with apositioning arm member and the positioning arm member for pivoting the positioning arm member, and means interposed between each positioning arm member and the snubber arm member pivoted. thereon for pivoting the snubber arm member.

9.. The apparatusof claim 8 wherein. the snubber arm members each have a rollrotatably carried thereon, said roll providing the clamping contact for the snubber arm member.

10'. The apparatus of claim 8 whereinthe snubber arm members are pivoted about pivot axes spaced on the positioning arm members from. said one shaft which edges of a bundle of'sheets comprising a frame, means for conveying bundles of sheets along said f rame, a shaft rotatably carried in said frame extending transverse;

a 10 1y of the direction of travel of sheets along the frame, positioning arm member, and means interposed between at least two confining arm members secured to said shaft, each positioning arm member and the snubber arm memsaid confining arm members being spaced on said shaft ber pivoted thereon for pivoting the snubber arm member. and aligned with each other so as to provide together support for a bundle of sheet, a positioning arm member 5 References Cited in the file of this patent associated with each of said confining arm members rotat- UNITED STATES PATENTS ably mounted on said shaft, a snubber arm member pivoted on a free end of each of said positioning arm members, 2,334,384 Pearl y 1953 means for rotating said shaft, means interposed between FOREIGN PATENTS each confining arm member and each positioning arm 10 member which is associated therewith for rotating the 626,356 Great l' am y 3, 949 

